The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-15
FOR THE UNIvERSALIST
BROTHER CARAVANS "HELP.
MEET"

Joseph Carman and Susan, his wife,
started in the world, owning few acres
of land and two pairs of willing hands.
1t was the merest nothing, and yet know
ing they were young and strong, indus
trious and economical, their prosperity
was a foregone conclusion. After ten
years OF married bliss, the little solve
branches" and their increased acres aud
herds, was positive proof that there was
no mistake in the estimate of their abil-
ity.
But Susan was Of a progressive nature
and Joe was finished when he was first
made. Susan sat over her baking or her
churn with book in her lap and her
work was none the less we'll done, be-
cause her mind was reyeling in thoughts
furnished from its pages while engaged
in it. The time that her neighbors dedi-
Gated to visiting and gossip was conse-
Grated by her to reading and thinking at
home. This was her pleasure and that
was theirs. It was merely difference in
the way they were constituted.
{. Sometimes when the days work was
done and the little ones in bed, and she
and Joe could enjoy the twilight, looking
out at the heavens, Susan would timidly
ask
(which is the evening star, now?"
"That un," would be Joe's answer,
pointing toward the sky.
"But what is its name, mean?"
Joe's rejoinder, II dun know, you can
find out from the almanac" would cause
Susan to search, and that search was
productive Of desire to explore further.
The inquiry, Tsn't it the planet near
est the sun that has no moon?" would
call from Joe an Indifferent, ST guess 30. !"
Then followed, els the additional star
recently observed by astronomers in Au-
dromeda, visible to the naked eye"
This ELECTED from Joe declaration of
his position, to the effect.
81 don't know nothing bout it and 1
don't keer nothing. All that stuff don't
bring meat and bread and clothes" And
Joe was off to bed.
Susan's train of thought went away
back to Paups admonition to the sisters
that desired information to ask of their
husbands at home, and she sighed.
Later Old, when the autumn had come
and the summers work was over, hand
bills were being distributed for a course
of interesting lectures in the village.
Susan sitting in the evening with her
knitting work in hand, reluctantly s'Ig-
gested to Joe the propriety of their
taking advantage OF the offered oppor-
tunity. Joe indifferently rejoined:
money is too hard too get to squander
on sech things"
"But wouldn't the advantage to be de-
rived be fair equivalent for admission
fees?"
Observation-Disclosures replied Joe,
lighting his pipe and going out TO the
barn to see that his horses were comfort
able for the night.
Susan thought, how in the beginning
God said, sit is not good that the man
SHOULD DO dtOHeS Will udhe ulu nSlp
meet for him." She halted herself in the
wish, that the great Creator had exactly de-
fined the duties of the "helpmeet," and the
"helpmeet's" partner, and she caught the
lump rising IL her throat in time to
choke it back. No, she entertained not
one disloyal thought for Joe. He was so
kind and his intentions always the very
best. But if prudent it would be a
slight source of Satisfaction to indulge
the wish that their tastes had been con-
stituted less unlike.
Accounts Of the great city, with its adj
vantages and pleasures kindled in Su-
sans heart a desire to see il. But how
dare she mention such thing to Joe. II
she argued of change as a necessity TO
the.well being Of mortals, Joe would sug-
gest visit to his mother or herr, 40 If
that would be a change where j. was all
work and no play just as it vas at home.